"The product is very easy to use and gives reproducible results. Image resolution is not great, so smaller structures (like vesicles) can not be studied. We adapt to the available functions, but more resolution would increase the number of applications."

"Add on for my review from 19 March 2020. I have to revise my rating for the category "After sales service". At the time of writing this former review, we did not get any response after having received a service offer for our defective controller. However, this has now changed completely. The defective controller was picked up, shipped to UK and returned within 8 working days. This was mainly triggered by our local Sartorius service people. They did a great job. The machine runs now properly again.
The best: This service was not charged - again, due to the engagement of these service people. This, and the profound help by the application scientist, made me readjusting the rating for the "After sales care"."

"I used IncuCyte to perform scratch migration assays and it really made my life easier compared to manually counting cells or calculating migrated area. The quality of the photos is absolutely great (at least for brightfield). It would be nice if the software could calculate the number of individual cells (counting) alongside the migrated area. The photos are mostly reproducible (from time to time I faced small issues, but overall quite consistent)."

Great, if it's running properly - hardware seems to fade over time in performance.

Rating: 4.0

Application Area:Cancer drug effects

"The strength of the IncuCyte is definitely the software package included. E.g. operating the machine and data processing are easy, even when done by people who only have a superficial knowledge of microscopy. The hardware could be improved, primarily in terms of quality, reliability and flexibility. Flexibility: e.g. compatibility with higher resolution objectives. Quality: e.g. this drawer is simply bad for a €150k device. Reliability: e.g. our machine broke down twice within two years since purchase. First time, after 1.5 years the scans where out of focus - service fixed it (they did a great job). Second time, after 2.2 years the hard disk of the steering unit cracked. Asked for service and got an offer, which we accepted more than one month ago - nothing has happened since that time, no answer from Sartorius how to proceed - except for one sales representative, who really seems to take care of the customers in his region. The machine is still not serviced, not even in the line to be serviced. The service offer has expired during this time and we urgently need the raw data stored on the steering unit for publication. Reproducibility: great and consistent with the ease of handling."

"The product was quite easy to set up - you simply put it in the incubator and virtually everything can be controlled wirelessly from the comfort of your laptop. The user interface is also quite straightforward compared to other scientific instruments, and it offers great flexibility in plate/dish type. The ability to consistently image cells at regular intervals under both bright field conditions and to detect red/green fluorescent markers proved invaluable for my lab's research and allowed us to collect quality results in half the time that it would have taken otherwise (and with much greater precision). Additionally, the technicians at Sartorius were extremely accommodating of our needs and addressed all of our issues."

Application Area:Analyze of the bioactivity of small chemical molecules (synthetic or marine natural products)

"I am the scientific manager of a screening facility (KISSf for kinase inhibitor screening facility). It is a structure open to all chemists in France and abroad to test the effects of their drugs on our selection of kinases involved in human pathologies. Some of these lead compounds are currently in preclinical study (acute kidney injuries, acute hepatitis, protection against cell death in neurodegenerative diseases) and clinical trial (cystic fibrosis). At our screening facility, we use the IncuCyte S3 reader to automatically monitor cells in real time. In addition, we have developed 3D culture models in order to reproduce the tumor microenvironment. 3D-spheroid assays are now available on our screening facility. The IncuCyte S3 was crucial for us to establish new middle-throughput assays and provide new “phenotypic profiling services” that we can include in one package of assays for our customers. I give excellent marks (from 4 to 5) because this equipment is exactly what we needed!"

"The instrument is quite easy to use once you learn how to manage the software. It delivers great reproducible results. It speeds up many time-consuming biological assays. In particular, we really appreciated it for proliferation (e.g. IC50 calculation of drugs) and migration assays, but also spheroids analysis and immune cell-mediated killing assays."

Great asset to our research group, generates tons of high quality data.

Rating: 5.0

Application Area:Live cell imaging, cell based assays

"The Incucyte S3 Live Cell Analysis System is a great asset to our research group. We can perform numerous cell based assays using this system that directly impact our drug discovery pipeline. The system generates quantitative, reproducible data, plus provides sharp high quality images of cells. It has a wide variety of applications, including spheroid assays, phrodo dye based assays, cell proliferation, confluence and many more. I love the ease of use and data output from this instrument."

"It's easy to use and delivers reproducible results. However some images within one well are often out of focus and always have to be removed manually. After we had 2 serious problems (broken drawer + out of focus) it took really long to get it fixed and and to get/stay in touch with our contact person."

"It is possible to acquire high quality data, which is highly reproducible. The analysis is very easy and handy. However, the instrument software sometimes causes problems: the camera cannot be found, therefore no pictures are taken, and this happens during the night so no reaction is possible... The technical service is really good and efficient, always very friendly and comes very fast after being contacted. Thanks for that!"

"It’s easy to use and analysis is easy. I think the reagents are over priced. Results have not always been reproducible and some time points have issues in imaging. We can eliminate those during analysis, but it would be nice if it didn’t happen in the first place. Customer service is excellent."

"Very easy to use instrument, once the dyes and the conditions are calibrated the results are very reproducible and informative, introducing theme components in many drug sensitivity assays of cancer cells. Some of the dyes are a bit expensive and usually the green works better than the red. But overall very good."

"This product has been highly effective for measuring high-throughput growth curves of tumor cells. We have extensively utilized it for testing affects of compounds as well as gene expression on tumor growth and invasion. Additionally, it had been essential in testing spheroid formation and growth. The ease of use and amount of data generated from the product are very valuable considering the initial input cost for our department."

"The product is well-suited depending on the application. T cell counts are accurate and reproducible. Phrodo-based products can give false positive in dying cells. The system is great and has a huge potential if single-mode analysis is further developed. Human-IgG1 products are not yet available and will be very helpful for therapeutics testing. Price is good for the quality, regarding the hardware and software. However, consumables are expensive and in most cases needed for the experiment (label-free analysis will be a nice implementation)."

"The Live-Cell Analysis Sytem has been very useful for monitoring immune cell killing, cell proliferation, and drug treatment on target cells. Being able to generate killing profiles has helped speed up research and have better understanding of our in vitro cultures and kinetics.
The interface of the IncuCyte isn't intuitive at times. Icons can be confusing. Analysis templates can be difficult to establish for new users and take time to learn. Once the software and settings are mastered, the instrument is very powerful and results in meaningful data."

"The IncuCyte facilitates characterization of our tagged cell lines by being able to monitor cells in high-quality over several days. We still need to get familiar with the analysis software to be able to get fully benefit from the system. We are using 8-well Ibidi slides quite often, but it is not possible to add a layout for them. This only works for other formats."

"It is easy to learn how to use the instrument. There is a bit of learning curve for analysis, but the software is still very user friendly. It's limitation is the availability of the colors. It would be great if there is a more expensive version with more colors available."

"Results have been reproducible, and the images are high quality. Like any instrument, it takes some time to optimize a protocol for each specific assay and cell type, but once optimized, it works reliably. The convenience of scheduling different time-points for automated imaging frees up time for other experiments, and reduces experiment burden on weekends. The software is intuitive, but has a bug that occasionally causes it to become unresponsive when setting up a complex experiment. A quick restart of the software resolves the issue. Due to the volume and high quality of images, the memory will run out faster than expected with frequent use, but the process for exporting the data from the IncuCyte to make more room is easy and painless. Overall, a fantastic instrument with highly customizable workflow."

"Even though the instrument is costly, it saves a lot of time and cells can be followed in real time. However, the image quality is not the best with certain type of cells, such as hepatocytes and cells which are not totally flat."

"The instrument is very easy to use. I use it in many applications, such as cell proliferation, viability/cell killing assays, and internalization assays. It helps a lot and saves time on assay development and optimization. We cannot live without it. I want another one."

We are satisfied with the IncuCyte S3, user-friendly surface, robust analysis.

Rating: 5.0

Application Area:Phagocytosis, antibody internalization

"The new IncuCyte S3 software has an improved, user-friendly surface. The IncuCyte is very suitable for semi-high throughput screening both in pharma and universities. The after sales care of IncuCyte is also very nice. Normally you will get responses from them in 24 hours, their technical support is very professional and helpful. We are satisfied with the S3."

"We have the IncuCyte Zoom and it is easy to use for monitor the live cells growth, migration. It fits different kind plate and slides. The photos quality are very good and even can make movies. When I did gene transfection, it is easy to monitor the gene expression."

"In the field of immunology, the IncuCyte S3 is must-have equipment. Not only does it enable you to perform live-cell experiments while saving time, it also allows you to measure various key characteristics, such as clustering and morphology, in a true quantitative and non-biased way. When working on primary cells, precious biological material, it is of great importance to monitor live features. The IncuCyte S3 therefore quickly becomes essential scientific gear."

"The IncuCyte ensures maximum performance in live-cell experiments, offering the capability to monitor cells in real time, and maintenance of the most vital conditions possible, with several experiments at a time."

"We use the Incucyte for many applications, e.g. to monitor proliferation and apoptosis after treatment with drugs, to determine IC50 values, to check for fluorescent protein expression, etc. It saves a lot of time and produces nice, publication-ready results (movies, images, growth curves). The software allows for the most common analyses (confluence, cell count) and is easy to use. The only downside is that it requires quite a lot of maintenance and sometimes we had to wait for weeks for an appointment with a technician."

I won't run a cell death/proliferation experiment without this device anymore.

Rating: 5.0

Application Area:Cell death experiments

"For analyzing cell death or cell proliferation over time, there is no better device on the market, as far as I can tell. Screening cell death/proliferation conditions in six plates at the same time with a live cell microscope that is so extremely easy to use makes experiments feel like playing a game. Even analyzing the data afterwards (or from home on the sofa) is so easy that it can hardly be called "work". And although the "user experience" is more similar to playing a game, than performing laborious cell culture experiments, the readout in the end is extremely good and consistent. There is no comparison to quantifying cell death using normal live-cell microscopy with an automated stage or even worse: endpoint measurements. The only thing missing is a far red channel and maybe space for even more plates and an even higher speed (unrealistic but why not?). 6 plates at once with ~12 min scan time per full plate is not bad though."

"I use the Incucyte S3 to follow the killing of cells by natural killers. It is really easy to follow the killing of fluorescent cells. Now, I even do experiments in a 384-plate format.
I also follow the growth of cells, comparing transfected to parental cells in order to evaluate the impact of target expressions in different culture conditions and through time.
Thanks to the IncuCyte, we discovered that in some conditions, transfected cells are growing more slowly than parental cells, but after a confluence of more than 50%, they grow faster than the parental cells and they are even able to reach a 100% of confluence (a percentage not reached in parental conditions). It would have been difficult to see without the help of the IncuCyte.
Learning how to use the IncuCyte is easy - any trainee learns to use the software within few hours.
We would like to implement spheroid studies in our lab. I already know that the IncuCyte will be the adequate device to measure the impact of the treatments on the spheroids. We will easily follow the size of the spheroid through time in usual culture conditions of temperature and CO2. We will also be able to use fluorescent cells to better understand what is going on into spheroids.
The IncuCyte is a complete instrument, which allows a very large panel of applications in a simple manner."

"We use this instrument mostly for neurite quantification in bright-field and have found the results to be comparable to other high-content imaging systems that require fluorescent staining. This allows us to use the same culture for short-term neurite analysis as well as long-term analysis, without having to fix the plate to achieve the short-term staining. This microscope has also been instrumental in identifying time windows of phenotypes in different treatment conditions. The one downside that we've seen for neuro-related analysis is that there is a severe edge effect when a 96-well plate is imaged for more than a day or two (we never have cells in the outer wells, the edge effect extends 2-3 wells in from all sides). We have determined this is due to our incubator being on the small-side because there are issues with evaporation from the heat generated by the machine, even with extra water bins placed in the incubator."

"Personally, I am very satisfied with the product. Reproducible data was obtained across experiments. It is easy to use and analyze the data. In general, the products are a bit expensive and it may be important to consider the price offer for potential users."

"We use the IncuCyte S3 Live-Cell Analysis System mainly for cell migration analysis. This system allows us to evaluate cell migration, invasion, or cell motility on a 96-well format. Scratch wound and chemotaxis assays are easy to reproduce and yield reliable results."

I use the IncuCyte regularly have been very pleased with the results I got so far.

Rating: 4.7

Application Area:Immune cell mediated killing

"Sample preparation and instrument set up are fairly straightforward, especially if you follow the manufacturer's instructions and already have target cells that express a red or a green fluorescent protein. Data analysis is more complex because it requires selecting representative images to train the software, and also involves creating custom filters to minimize background fluorescence. That said, as long as you apply the same type of analysis to your controls and your experimental samples, you should be able to reduce bias that comes with defining an analysis yourself."

It's good and has great potential, but it definitely has a learning curve.

Rating: 3.7

Application Area:T cell killing assays

"I have only used it a few times so far, but I think it's pretty useful, as long as the cells are stained well. I think some of the settings for analysis are a little confusing, and I haven't been able to find the information that explains it all in the manual. However, overall, I think it's a powerful instrument and has a lot of specialized functions."

"Its one of the best instrument for most live cell imaging and analysis. I've used several imaging system but IncuCyte is the only flexible and hassle free instrument. One of the best investment ever made. The after sales service is awesome and the reps are very friendly and extremely helpful."

"Our lab has been using Incucyte for many years. It is particularly useful for studying microglia cells. We mainly use Incucyte to track cell proliferation and cell death, as well as monitor microglial phagocytic activity. The software is easy to use, and the machine can accommodate multiple users at the same time. It is essential to our research."

We are looking for alternatives given our experience with the support.

Rating: 3.7

Application Area:Cell growth and cytotoxicity

"It's a reliable instrument with a proven record. However, the current support is very borderline comparing to when the company was Essen. In addition, 2 color and 3 lenses are a bit limited for some routine applications."

"The Incucyte has been a great addition to our lab. It's allowing us to design experiments we hadn't considered before. I especially like how it comes with a networked computer that is very fast, allowing us to analyse results from our own slower computers really quickly. It's a very intuitive system to figure out and we've even trained a high school student to operate it. Some of the consumables are a bit expensive, but most are available from other vendors. Overall, we're very happy with the machine and it's so heavily used here we're working on getting another."

"The IncuCyte ZOOM with migration assay module is a great set-up for running reproducible, high-throughput migration assays. The software analysis was a little non-user friendly to figure out at the beginning, but there is a lot of functionality in setting up and analyzing the cell migration. Live-cell imaging gives more insights into cellular activity than just the numbers alone, so this tool is a great addition to our disease modeling systems."

"The S3 is a perfect imager that produces high quality images even in phase contrast mode. We regularly are screening for neuro protective compounds in our iPSC model system where we can gain invalueable real-time data of response with images and graphs of 5 phenotypes of neurite changes. We can set up the images and times ahead of time with analysis in real-time and come back days later with super graphs of data. It is a highly-valued component of our research work."

"We have the IncuCyte Zoom software and it works very well for monocultures and spheroids. Sometimes we struggle with the analysis of 3D spheroid cultures as it is difficult to mask using the current software (not the latest IncuCyte machine). However, we still find it very useful for the multiple assays we run in the lab. We would like to have an improved analytic tool for 3D cultures (spheroids, organoids) that could be compatible with the machine we have."

"Since the appliance of the IncuCyte in our lab we have been able to perform longitudinal studies on our tumour cell cultures and their interactions with various sorts of immune cells. All this in a "track-and-trace" fashion. We are able to track the behaviour of individual cells, as well as collect data on large pools. With multiple lasers installed and the possibilities of using many different plate formats, there are few limitations to possible combinations. Being able to determine the use of the camera in the way that is desirable for a particular experiment also leads to individual optimisation so that the IncuCyte can be used by many researchers throughout the entire research institute, tackling many different research topics and questions.
Overall, the versatility of the instrument is great, and if needed can be expanded (eg. extra lasers). The downsides are rather minimal, but need to be mentioned. First of all, there is a limited space inside, so only 6 plates can be tracked at a time during an experiment; sometimes one would wish this to be more. The user-interface is alright, but could be a bit more user-friendly. A good training course is given once a machine will be installed on-site, which is very helpful, but I feel that it would be quite hard to learn yourself, without help from an experienced user. Last, as always, the equipment and maintenance of an IncuCyte is a pricey business. Also the reagents provided by the company are not cheap. Luckily there is very good tech support in case of need - it normally doesn't take long to get one of their experts where you need them."

"Very easy to use and reliable. Introductions for new lab members do not take more than 30 min. Experimental setups are easy and straight-forward. Running multiple (up to 6) different experiments at the same time by different researchers is realistically possible. We use it a lot for plaque formation - even with very slow viruses. Imaging runs can be 10 days or more to assess plaque growth velocity or abortive infection at very low MOI.
Minor criticism: There are some non-solvable hot pixel issues at very high contrast with our IncuCyte. High background in green channel with some cell media (probably riboflavin-associated) - can be erased with e.g. ImageJ background subtraction. I would love to have a blue fluorescence channel in addition - that would make the perfect machine."

"IncuCyte really helps me get quantitative and reproducible data. The live-cell analysis system did all the repetitive, tedious work like taking pictures every 2 hours for 2 weeks which is almost impossible for me to do by myself, which makes me really get into the details of what happened in the cells after the treatment. I can monitor cells on my computer any time I like and I can make decisions based on live-cell conditions. The software created results and figures directly, saved me tons of time to do the analysis. With IncuCyte, I am more confident in my results and I have a better and more clear way way to represent my data. Sometimes you do experiments in normal ways and the results are kind of ambiguous; then with IncuCyte you get much much more detail, you get a much more clear picture to resolve the uncertainty."

"If you think it's just a microscope then you might say it's nothing special. However, most microscope systems give you 96 well movies that you have to then analyse to get the live cell data graphs. The Incucyte is a high content live-cell screening machine that gives you 96 well kinetic graphs at the end of the experiment, that also has the movies for you to watch back if you want to. It's about approaching the imaging experiment from what you want to measure and using the best tools to get there. The range of reagents are very good and it means that your experiment is just going to work. It takes just a couple of minutes to set up and experiment and the results are (once you've set up the analysis pathway once) there while the experiment is running. We have loads of microscopes in the facility, but the IncuCyte continues to be one of the most popular."

"Very easy and clear to use with useful analysis tools built in. Support staff have always been extremely helpful and responsive and very efficient with call outs. The IncuCyte lets you collect large amounts of data and compare multiple conditions very easily and really speeds up the science!"

"I love the IncuCyte S3. I can monitor my experiments in real time. I also do not need to take the plates out at different time points for imaging/reading and while the IncuCyte is running, I can do other experiments. If I have questions, whether it's regarding protocols or analysis, a field application scientist from Sartorius will get back to me relatively quickly. The only drawback is the IncuCyte Analysis software is only Windows and not Mac compatible. Hopefully, this will change so I can access and analyze data from home."

"The IncuCyte Zoom is a great tool for tracking proliferation of cells. I use it for tracking monoclonal population growth of my cells after CRISPR knockout studies. I've also found it very useful for cell killing assays including co-cultures of cells with activated T-cells."

Great instrument, some of the more technical uses of the machine require more teaching.

Rating: 4.3

Application Area:Analyze protein expression in GFP tagged cells

"I have used this machine for about 3 years and I must say that it really streamlined my work and increased the high-throughput nature of my research. The only thing that is hard with the machine is that it cannot handle 6 96 well plates and I hope that the machine can be upgraded in the future to be able to scan them without a break. Furthermore some technical support window for just routine data analysis would be nice."

"We love our IncuCyte. For our current experiemnts, it is really easy to use and very user-friendly. I wish that it was easier to use different plates or create your own methods. The chemotaxis plates from the company are a bit out of our budget."

"Pros: easy of use, useful tool for the time-course study. Cons: data analysis/resolution could be further improved.
In general, IncyCyte Zoom is a great tool for capturing biology in real-time. However, the assay window might not be robust enough to screen compounds. It really depends on the biology of the targets and the cell types. The real time imaging can pickup the dynamics but the biology might need to be verified by independent means if the assay window is too small."

"We bought this system for our core facility a couple of years ago. We have it mounted in an incubator in our cell culture room and it is usually full. The ease of use, ability to track images from any computer, ability to generate a lot of data in a relatively small amount of time, and ability to analyze in many different modes has quickly secured its position as a user friendly workhorse of an instrument."

"I purchased a IncuCyte two years ago and ever since have been extremely excited about the amount of data generated (versus the older methodologies), the reproducibility and accuracy. A recent paper on effects of inhibitors on cell proliferation and migration was accepted because we could provide IncuCyte data. We have looked at nuclear location, cell toxicity, but also migration and apoptosis. The wound maker works like a charm, although the users have to follow the instructions for this precious device. We recently changed the incubator, which now prevents too much condensation on the machine. Many colleagues are now also using our machine with succes for many different applications, showing its robustness."

"Good points: The machine is very easy to use and suitable to track one or two fluorophores in real time. The pictures are of good quality. Compatible with many different types of plates and slides.
Drawbacks: The maximum magnification is only 20x, making it difficult to study e.g. nucleus morphology. The built-in analysis tool is not always suitable to distinguish between different cells, and the plugin for single cell analysis is very expensive."

"Incucyte S3 system allows for easy, accurate, and reproducible assays. As a microbiologist, I follow intracellular fluorescent bacteria. Using Incucyte S3, I can assess and control 10 different conditions at the same time. It is a real time-saver and thus a saver of money."

"It is easy to use with multiple time points continuous evaluation. No termination of the study and you can see the process. The only thing I dislike is that some cells grow on top of each other, which cannot be detected accurately by IncuCyte."

Application Area:Real time quantification of apoptotic or necroptotic cell death

"Over the year we have used at least 3 generations of IncuCyte instruments: FLR, zoom and now the S3 model. It has showed increased speed, versatility and so far improved reliability. Our laboratory productivity performance is increased and we have already published data generated with our IncuCytes in several journals. In summary, we strongly recommend this instrument and all of Sartorius' supporting team behind it."

"The IncuCyte saves a ton of time! We get more reliable results in way less time than doing a manual approach. The machine was so busy our lab bought a second IncuCyte to accommodate the demand. The 96 well format allows for many replicates of different conditions all at the same time. It's also great to have images to look back on if you see an interesting phenotype. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking at cell growth."

"Easy execution, beautiful real time images.
The only minor issue is that the analysis of the assays can sometimes be a little bit complicated. But I feel that customer service really covers that department and I've been lucky to get very good guidance from Essen (Satorius) Group."

"The IncuCyte ZOOM platform is essential in our Cancer Center research program. We utilize it in a "core facility" manner, so lots of labs share it. Our ZOOM is in almost constant use, running any number of applications. Almost everyone starts with proliferation studies, they are so much more informative in real-time than a static MTS assay. We multiplex others assays onto our proliferation assays, such as, apoptosis, live-dead, or any other red/green/phase application. We also employ the ImageLock plates for 2D motility or invasion in would healing-type assays. We use the ClearView plates to look at 3D motility and invasion. We grow 3D spheroids in wells to test chemotherapeutic drugs or combination therapies, in an attempt to model in vivo studies. There are several other modules that we don't currently use, but we could unlock them with a phone call to Sartorius. Flexibility is the key! This company goes beyond my wildest expectations for service and support. Many issues can be solved with a phone call and a WebEx and if not, a technician can be on-site within a day or so."

"The Incucyte is easy to use with little training. The results are consistent, reliable, and easily reproducible. The company provides great service and always responds promptly when we had an issue. I would recommend this to any lab looking at cellular assays. It is much easier and saves a ton of time compared to other assays or other applications requiring microscopy."

Great instrument and I cannot think of working without it for my assays

Rating: 5.0

Application Area:Cell growth assay

"I used to do a lot of cell growth assays using the tests like MTT and Alamar blue. I immediately discarded all those assays in my mind when we bought the IncuCyte S3. It can count the number of cells and the confluency in the plates, at any time point, automatically and accurately, whether the whole cell population or subpopulations are labeled with different colors. Additionally it may eventually replace many traditional assays like apoptosis, cell cycles. The instrument saves me a lot of time for my experiments and it has been amazing."

"We are able to achieve high quality, reproducible images and the analysis function is very valuable. We have had to service our Incucyte multiple times for various issues, which is the main drawback of the unit."

"It's very handy for spheroids, especially the 4x objective. The only downside is that the previous version of S3 Incucyte cannot get the updated software/camera to process spheroids in a more accurate way."

"It is very simple and easy to use, some issues with developing a analysis method so it would be nice to have an example to follow. User care is great as a technician came to give an overview of the software and how to use. Great value for money as the equipment is very versatile"

"IncuCyte has potential advantages for real time screening of live and fixed stained cells, which is difficult otherwise. It has potential to revolutionize the future of fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. Looking forward to the inclusion of more fluorescent or laser filters."

"The instrument has provided a very useful analysis when looking at cell killing. While CTG or other viability assays have been useful in the past, they have not been very accurate with our cell lines. The Incucyte has been a game changer as we design more experiments looking at cell killing. At this point, I couldn't run the experiments I have planned without it."

An automated solution for doing more than ever before with less effort.

Rating: 4.7

Application Area:Cell viability

"The Incucyte has proven to be invaluable to my work by automating my drug screen workflow. Not only that, I have been able to gather magnitudes more data and better quality data than before. The Incucyte has removed a key bottleneck in our work and enabled us to do more than ever before. "

"IncuCyte is very convinient and easy to use system. It is useful in a lot of research areas. The live-analysis helps in designing and planning of downstream experiments, while one experiment is still running. With the green and red filters we use this instrument for a variety of bio-assays. I am especially impreesed by the customer care. All the application scientists are extremly helpful and very promt with thier responses. Many of them have come to help us beyond work hours if required."

Great insight from the results on the target and effector cell interactions

Rating: 4.0

Application Area:Immuotherapy using CAR T cells

"Its a very useful tool for data collection and analysis over a period of time. High quality data and reproducibility can be very easily achieved. It's value for money as multiple data sets are collected, and this can be presented in different ways as per the need."

"IncyCyte system is based on real time image capture and analysis. It looks simple and very easy to use. Initially I used the machine for cell proliferation curve generation and morphology observation which is the basic function. Later on I tried to use it to detect fluorescence intensity response in my NFkB reporter cell line. It worked very well and was sensitive. The results are consistent and reliable. Recently I did an experiment for gene expression time response with different gene editing deliver system. It saved a lot of time compared with using other methods. I am sure the machine has much more potential than I expect. I am also very satisfied with the service."

"The product has greater advantages in the field of in-vitro cell biology. It can do many more things such as cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, internalization chemotaxis, etc, without changing the media or disturbing the cells."

I love the improvements in the S3 software, imaging camera and automated objective lens control.

Rating: 4.7

Application Area:Live cell imaging

"I have used the Incucyte Zoom live cell imaging system extensively and I love the improvements in the S3 software, imaging camera and automated objective lens control. Image quality and quantitation of data is great. The software modules and reagents for specific applications are easy to use and always growing."

"The IncuCyte allows high-throughput live cell analysis inside the incubator, essential for reliable results when working with neurons and astrocytes. It allows a wide variety of analyses for cell phenotyping and drug testing."

"The Incu Cyte S3 is an invaluable instrument especially at the start of our experiments. It allows us to pin-point a more precise range of damage occurring, with real-time graphing of data. Saves us many weeks of optimization with only a single 3 day run on the IncuCyte S3."

It radically changed the way we analyse cell proliferation. Highly recommended.

Rating: 5.0

Application Area:Live-cell analysis platform to monitor cell proliferation, viability, apoptosis and a number of cell

"The IncuCyte S3 is a flexible live-cell analysis platform useful for quantitative analysis of a number of cell processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, viability, migration, phagocytosis, etc, in 2D cultures, co-cultures, or even 3D spheroids. It is equipped with a powerful image analysis software which allows even beginners to get excellent results. The hardware is simple, robust and very easy to use. In our opinion, the IncuCyte has solved some classic drawbacks of time-lapse microscopy, since it has excellent optical stability, minimal sample disturbance, and consistent autofocus. The possibility of integrating different objectives (4x, 10x and 20x) and up to two fluorescence channels, in addition to the brightfield and phase contrast, allow it to perform most of the image-based cell assays with excellent resolution. The IncuCyte is designed for aggregate cellular analysis (it is not an image-based cytometer), but the introduction of the temporal component in the quantitative analysis is a parameter of inestimable importance. This powerful instrument can complement traditional cellular analytical approaches, both kinetic and end-point, and stands as the middle ground between low-resolution plate readers, time-lapse microscopes and high-content screening platforms. The use of IncuCyte in daily research activities has allowed us to understand complex mechanisms of action of drugs that would have been difficult to extrapolate with classical approaches. In addition to this, it allowed us to speed up the phenotypic drug or loss of function screening via RNAi or CRISPR, as well as to make the cloning of modified cell lines more efficient. The IncuCyte must not be missing in a cell biology laboratory."

"This equipment gives us more possibilities for analysis. The whole cell analysis can be done for vessels such as 6 well plates. The dilution cloning scan allows us to see one single cell. Very useful."

Application Area:Cell-based assays for toxicity, drug delivery, and other cell based assays.

"The real-time monitoring capacity of the IncuCyte® cell-based assays instrumentation is useful in monitoring cell-growth, cell health, morphology, etc. This is fully automated thereby providing useful data and assessment studies for toxicity, immunoassay, drug delivery/efficacy, and other in vitro evaluation studies on short term and long-term basis while the cells remain undisturbed over these periods of time. It combines the instrument with reagents and image-based analysis into one system!"

"The incucyte is very easy to use. Any trainee can use it after some user's explanations.
With this device, we are able to follow the growth of any cells and to have a morphologic view of the cells during time while leaving cells in their usual environment.
The software of image analysis included in this device allows to measure a lot of parameters such as the confluence of the culture or the neurites outgrowth.
Many other possibilities exist with this device and the new version of the Incucyte ( Incucyte S 3 ) is even more performant."

"excellent for live-single cell observations, especially for difficult multiple-parameters assays; I have tested it for cell proliferation and viability assays after cells irradiation (IR or UV treatments)."

The IncuCyte S3 is a crucial support for our cell-based assays. Indispensable.

Rating: 5.0

Application Area:Oncology and immuno-oncology

"The incucyte S3 is used in our lab to perform kinetic cell assays for the study of the antiproliferative activity and the mechanism of action of compounds. It integrates seamlessly into our screening funnel and has virtually replaced the traditional end-point proliferation assays. The IncuCyte S3 is a very powerful and easy-to-use tool at the same time, which I highly recommend to anyone involved in cell biology research."

"We were users of the Incucyte zoom product previously. We have been interacting with Essen biosciences on our expectations for the next generation of system, and there it is... objective change from one position to another, scheduling between different positions..."

"The new IncuCyte® S3 is really user friendly and a really needed device for our cell QC and monitoring. It allows many formats of cell vessels and the program is very intuitive ! There are still a lot of applications we would like to test... like immune cell functions and differentiation assays, so I think next year will be an exciting new year with lots of new discoveries on Incucyte S3. Thanks for this nice and helpful device !!!"

"The new IncuCyte® S3 is really user friendly and becomes a really needed device for our cell QC and monitoring.
It allows many formats of cell vessels and the program is very intuitive!
There are still a lot of applications we would like to test... like immune cell functions and differentiation assays, so, I think next year will be an exciting new year with lots of new discoveries on Incucyte S3.
Thanks for this nice and helpful device!!!
Congratulations for being part of Sartorius Company...our favorite cell automation developer!
"

"The Incucyte is very easy to use and the software is intuitive. I can quickly set up an experiment to track cell proliferation and walk away while it collects data. It is very customizable and flexible - able to accommodate many different types of plates, and different imaging frequencies, and green and red channels in addition to phase images."

We obtained powerful results, more sensitive one and it is very save timing.

Rating: 4.7

Application Area:Analyze the ability of cell to proliferate well, with or without drugs causing DNA damage or breaks

"Our work on DNA damage leads us to test a lot of drugs on cell lines and patients cells. We are working preferentially on fibroblast cells (primary and SV40 transform cells). So we use the IncuCyte S3® Live-Cell Analysis System mostly with the proliferation application. For this kind of experiment, IncuCyte S3® Live-Cell Analysis System is very helpful and saves time. It takes 15 minutes to get graphs with the final result and plenty of pictures/movies that we can use for presentations, instead of around 2 or 3 hours of experiments and analysis before having the results.
IncuCyte S3® Live-Cell Analysis System allows us to have more detail in our experiments, also and surprisingly we increase the data that we can use and we have got more information.
It allows us also to do a drug screening much more important. With one plate we can tests 100 drugs easily, against 4/5 drugs before, and we can use at least 6 plates in the same time with IncuCyte.
To our experiment IncuCyte S3® Live-Cell Analysis System is a powerful system which we can't do without anymore.
Of course there is some trouble that we can't deal with for the moment, but we are sure that we can figure it out soon. The increasing information that we got with the IncuCyte, leads us to ask ourself how to manage the data, and more precisely how to analyse and do statistics on it. Engineer of Essen bioScience are very helpful about our question, but unfortunately whitout any regards it's difficult to help us.
Nevertheless the results that we obtain already with the IncuCyte S3® Live-Cell Analysis System is stronger than before.
The IncuCyte is very easy to use, the new software is much better than the old one and can be use easily even without anyone to help you.
We are very satisfied of this equipment and have no regret to order it."

"Once we were properly trained, this machine was amazing. It allowed me to provide video data for my lab that is so much more interesting than just a graph! It is so helpful to be able to run a bunch of assays on one plate as well. Really recommend!!!"

"We have specifically put our S3 in a controlled environmental chamber. In doing so, we are able to study cell growth and function in tightly controlled conditions without disturbing the cells. This has not been possible prior to the Incucyte technology, and we are very happy with our purchase."

"Straight forward process, easy to use, powerful to validate multiple conditions.
Very helpful for research, although an improvement of the optics switches and contrast of phase mask could improve the process."

"We purchased this instrument to augment our imaging capabilities and to enable us to perform live cell kinetic assays as well as to troubleshoot any issues with routine cell lines.
The S3 has been brilliant in this regard, the software has been overhauled making everything much simpler and the camera is faster and has greater resolution than the ZOOM. If I have any criticism its that the fluorescence imaging is not as sensitive as other systems but this is more than made up for by the excellent phase images."

"The Incucyte is an easy useful instrument.
I couldn't do without it any more.
The analysis module is really wonderful and very powerful !
The only way to improve it would be to add the blue light to easily take pictures of fixed cells."

"IncuCyte system allows real-time, automated monitoring of cell proliferation based on live cell time-lapse imaging. The system monitors proliferation by analyzing confluence and allows the separation of living and apoptotic cells by labeling reagents. Moreover, transfecting the nucleus with green or red fluorescent protein (GFP/RFP) tagged constructs allows the quantification of cell number and the monitoring of migration/invasion.
Pros:
*Automates data capture and cell assessment
*Offers a simple but powerful workflow.
*A major advantage is the nearly unlimited real-time analysis, but one must consider the high initial cost of the setup. *outstanding performance in sub-confluent cell cultures
Cons:
*High initial cost of the setup
*Limited system flexibility, not upgradable
*Only two fluorescent channels
*Expensive consumables for more advance assays"

"After care hasn´t been used so far. The product itself is very easy to use. The software is very intuitive, in the beginning I was skeptical when the technicians from Essen told me this. When having using it myself I have to say, they were right 100%.
The results are nice and everything is analyzed by the machine itself and the power of this machine is the fact that you can let the experiment run as long as you want."

"In general the Incucyte system is easy to use and gives great results like growth curves. We are also using it for spheroids and it works fine.
Anyway, we are having some troubles with evaporation which leads to death of cells seeded in the edges of 96-well plates, which is very annoying.
It offers some basic statistic tools and allows to make good looking figures for presentations, for any more detailed analysis it is best to copy the data to a spreadsheet program like excel."

"Working at the European Cancer Stem Cell Research Institute, Cardiff University. I was able to perform proliferation assay with GFP+ HeLa cells, apoptotic assay with treated NK92 cells, T-cell killing assay and scratch assay all of them in a time frame of 2 weeks. Always getting my observation in real time and the analysis right away once the experiment was terminated. And everything with remote control."

"I use the IncuCyte to measure the proliferation and the death (PI-uptake) of cancer cells after treatment over time. The IncuCyte system and software are very easy to use. After an intensive testing period and seminars on how to operate the equipment, I made the experience that handling the machine is easy and using the software is very intuitive. I recommend a "learning by doing" approach with first experiments, then all functions soon make sense. Organizing measurement schedules with colleagues works well due to the 24 hour display and the possibility to shift entire schedules until they fit.
The analysis will need a few rounds of "trial and error" - inaccuracies in detecting cells or staining are a trade-off for the convenient rapid high-throughput experiment and analysis, but can impact the result. Since images can be exported and analysed by more labor-intensive methods (ImageJ), the output remains valuable, even if the semi-automatic analysis might not be able to gain the desired data. I am still evaluating how reliable the confluency analysis is and how to improve the counting of PI+ cells. It is difficult to compare PI+ cell counts with flow cytometry results, since the total amount of cells (per field of view) cannot be quantified (only % confluency) - maybe I need a green dye to mark my cells individually.
The work load is very small and it is very convenient, how the software stores and analyses the data. The accessibility of each image and each graph/data is very good and cleverly solved.
I cannot comment on "After Sales Care", since I didn't use it.
I cannot comment on "Value for Money", since I didn't pay for it, but with a 150k € price tag the IncuCyte has to deliver in the next few years and be compared with a flow cytometer or an epi-fluorescence microscope. I am convinced that we will get value for the money, if the IncuCyte system is used regularly in the next few years."

"Allows us to do virtually any desired in vitro assay at a HT. Additionally, saves a great deal of hands on time and allows for much more reproducible assays.
Fits perfectly as part of a core facility platform."

"This is a wonderful product. It is very user friendly and very helpful if you need to scan a large number of compounds/ cell lines in a short amount of time. The 96 well format allows to do each compound/ drug in triplets over as long as you want, giving you meaningful statistics that would otherwise take a very long time."

"The machine is very easy to use. And as we expected, it runs certain quantitative protocols efficiently, saved us a lot of time. I am satisfied with the performance of the machine.
However, I was disappointed in the beginning. Because we received the new machine with problems of 4x objective. We had to send back the machine and the company promised to send us another new one with tested functions before it's delivered. Then we received a new one that had problem with the fluorescence module. We had to wait for the engineer sent a new part to replace the fluorescence module of the machine. The whole process was unpleasant since it wasted us quite a lot of time. I really want to ask did you test your machine before sending it out? It's intolerant that such problem happened twice."

Application Area:Monitor spheroid growth and death with bright field image and fluorescent labeling.

"It's very easy to use with intuitive user interface. can just put the cell plate into the IncuCyte, set up the schedule with my specific setting, and just leave it running. As long as the incubator in which the IncuCyte sits works, the live cell imaging can keep on going. The onboard analysis is pretty nice too. it has many options to plot the results easily, and the quality is presentation ready. can also export movies or the analyzed data out for further process."